(1)Immediately upon the arrival at any port or place within the United States or the Virgin Islands of—

(A)any vessel from a foreign port or place;

(B)any foreign vessel from a domestic port;

(C)any vessel of the United States carrying foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or

(D)any vessel which has visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise while outside the territorial sea;

the master of the vessel shall report the arrival at the nearest customs facility or such other place as the Secretary may prescribe by regulations.

(2)The Secretary may by regulation—

(A)prescribe the manner in which arrivals are to be reported under paragraph (1); and

(B)extend the time in which reports of arrival must be made, but not later than 24 hours after arrival.

(b) Vehicle arrival

(1)Vehicles may arrive in the United States only at border crossing points designated by the Secretary.

(2)Except as otherwise authorized by the Secretary, immediately upon the arrival of any vehicle in the United States at a border crossing point, the person in charge of the vehicle shall—

(A)report the arrival; and

(B)present the vehicle, and all persons and merchandise (including baggage) on board, for inspection;

to the customs officer at the customs facility designated for that crossing point.

(c) Aircraft arrival

The pilot of any aircraft arriving in the United States or the Virgin Islands from any foreign airport or place shall comply with such advance notification, arrival reporting, and landing requirements as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe.

(d) Presentation of documentation

The master, person in charge of a vehicle, or aircraft pilot shall present, or transmit pursuant to an electronic data interchange system, to the Customs Service such information, data, documents, papers, or manifests as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe.

(e) Prohibition on departures and discharge

Unless otherwise authorized by law, a vessel, aircraft or vehicle after arriving in the United States or Virgin Islands may, but only in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary—

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 433,42 Stat. 951. That section was superseded by section 433 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

R.S. § 2774, requiring a report of arrival, and a further report in the form of a manifest, and imposing a penalty for violations was superseded by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 433,42 Stat. 951, and repealed by section 642 of that act.

R.S. § 2772, relative to report and entry by the master of every vessel, bound to a port of delivery; section
2775, requiring a special report by the master of any vessel having on board distilled spirits or wines; and section
2832, relative to report of arrival of vessels proceeding to the ports of Natchez or Vicksburg, were also repealed by section 642 of the act of Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–182, § 652(3), amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: “Unless otherwise authorized by law, a vessel, aircraft, or vehicle may, after arriving in the United States or the Virgin Islands—

“(1) depart from the port, place, or airport of arrival; or

“(2) discharge any passenger or merchandise (including baggage);

only in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.”

1986—Pub. L. 99–570amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Within twenty-four hours after the arrival of any vessel from a foreign port or place, or of a foreign vessel from a domestic port, or of a vessel of the United States carrying bonded merchandise, or foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made, at any port or place within the United States at which such vessel shall come to, the master shall, unless otherwise provided by law, report the arrival of the vessel at the nearest customhouse, under such regulations as the Commissioner of Customs may prescribe.”

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 106–476, except as otherwise provided, applicable with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after the 15th day after Nov. 9, 2000, see section 1471 ofPub. L. 106–476, set out as a note under section
58c of this title.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections
203(1),
551(d),
552(d), and
557 of Title
6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section
542 of Title
6.